Door locks on residential and commercial buildings in King County must comply with the Washington-adopted International Building Code and International Fire Code under RCW 19.27, ensuring single-action egress without keys, tools, or special knowledge.
King County enforces the Washington State Building Code (RCW 19.27), which incorporates the International Building Code, International Residential Code, and International Fire Code. These codes require egress doors to open with a single action, without keys, tools, or special knowledge, even when locked from the outside. Deadbolts must be operable from inside without a key. Schools, daycares, and assembly occupancies have stricter limits on classroom-barricade devices. Plan review and inspections in unincorporated King County are handled by the Department of Local Services Permitting; contract fire districts inspect existing buildings for fire-code compliance. Cities apply the same state code locally.
Installing chains, padlocks, or barricade devices on required egress doors is a building- and fire-code violation under RCW 19.27, with stop-work orders, fines, and required removal.
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See how Federal Way's door locking hardware rules stack up against other locations.
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